Electrical switch having insulated cover for the switch terminals

ABSTRACT

A plastic housing is fitted over the terminals of an electrical switch to electrically insulate the terminals in an operating installation. The plastic housing has integrally molded therewithin pockets for receiving the switch terminals. Each of the switch terminals has a serrated edge which, when the housing is fitted over the terminals, becomes embedded in the walls of the pocket to securely lock the housing to the switch body. Each of the terminals also has an extension which engages a wire when it is fitted into the housing, and traps the wire between it and a wall of the pocket to physically lock the wire within the housing and to electrically connect the same to the switch terminal.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Thomas F. Osika Gary, Ind. [21] Appl. No. 80,396 [22] Filed Oct. 13, I970 [45] Patented Nov. 2, 1971 l [73] Assignee McGlll Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Valparaiso, Ind.

[54] ELECTRICAL SWITCH HAVING INSULATED COVER FOR THE SWITCH TERMINALS 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl. 200/166 CT, 200/ l 68 R [51] Int. Cl H0lh 1/58 [50] Field of Search 200/166 CT, 168 C, 168 B, 168 R, 168 E; 338/322 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,313,905 4/1967 Zagorski 200/168 A Primary Examiner-H. 0. Jones Attorney Mueller & Aichele ABSTRACT: A plastic housing is fitted over the terminals of an electrical switch to electrically insulate the terminals in an operating installation. The plastic housing has integrally molded therewithin pockets for receiving the switch terminals. Each of the switch terminals has a serrated edge which, when the housing is fitted over the terminals, becomes embedded in the walls of the pocket to securely lock the housing to the switch body. Each of the terminals also has an extension which engages a wire when it is fitted into the housing, and traps the wire between it and a wall of the pocket to physically lock the wire within the housing and to electrically connect the same to the switch terminal.

PATENTEDNUV 2 |97| FIGIVV HHHIIHHHI INVENTOR.

THOMAS F. OSIKA ATTORNEYS.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH HAVING INSULATED COVER FOR THE SWITCH TERMINALS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains generally to a housing of synthetic material which may be fitted over theterminals of an electrical switch to electrically insulate the same.

In some applications, electrical switches are used wherein the terminals and wires connected thereto may be exposed without any great problem. However, in other applications it is necessary from a safety standpoint that the switch.terminals and wires connected thereto be insulated to avoid electrical shock to the person who is utilizing the particular switch. Generally in the past, this has made it .necessary for electrical switch manufacturers to have at least two lines of switches, one for each of these applications, Moreover, in some applications it is desirable to have a switch wherein the terminals are exposed so that the customer may attach his own wires thereto. This, of course, is no problem where the standard exposed terminal switch can be used; however, the problem increases where it is desirable to have the terminals and wire insulated after the connections have been made in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an insulating housing for an electrical switch which will permit insulating the switch terminals in the field subsequent to the wires being connected thereto.

It is another object of this invention to reduce costs by providing an insulating housing for electric switch terminals wherein the same line of switches may be used both for exposed terminal applications and for insulated terminal applications thereby eliminating the need for the. manufacturer to carry two distinct lines of switches.

In one embodiment of this invention an electrical switch has a pair of terminals thereon each of which has a foot portion having a serrated edge and a leg portion containing a shaped edge at the end thereof. A plastic housing having integrally molded pockets therein is fitted over the terminals. Each of the terminals rests in a respective pocket in the housing and the serrated edges of the foot portions thereof are embedded in a wall of the pocket to securely attach the housing to the switch. The leg portions of the terminals each engage a wire which is inserted through an aperture in the housing into the pocket and firmly presses the wire against another wall of the pocket to physically retain the wire within the housing and to make good electrical contact between the wire and the terminal. The plastic housing acts to insulate the junction of the wires and the terminals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an electrical switch with housing attached in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing the terminals of the electric switch with the switch body of FIG. 1 being partially shown in phantom;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the reverse side of the switch of FIG. 1 showing the switch terminals with the switch casing being partially shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the switch of FIG. 1 taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view in section taken generally along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing the terminal housing in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view in cross section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the figures of the drawing. FIG. 1 shows an electrical switch 10 operated by a toggle lever I2 which moves a conductive bridge (not shown) within a switch casing 14 between the switch contacts 26 and 28 (FIG. 2) in the known manner to make or break the circuit. Attached to the bottom of the switch casing 14 and covering the switch terminals is a plastic housing 16 which will be discussed in greater detail hereafter. Inserted into the housing and connected to the switch terminals are a pair of wires 18 and 20. The housing 16 when attached to the switch casing 14 completely shields and insulates the junction between the wires and the switch terminals.

The switch terminals are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-5 wherein the switch housing 14 is partially shown in phantom for illustrative purposes. The terminals 22 and 24 are shown riveted to the switch contacts 26 and 28. As best shown in FIG. 5, each of the terminals 22 and 24 are generally L- shaped with each having a foot portion 22a and 24a and a leg portion 22b and 24b. The edge of each of the foot portions 22a and 24a is serrated as shown at 30 and 32 respectively. The edge at the end of the leg portions 22b and 24b is shaped as shown at 34 and 36 to form a wire-engaging point on each of the leg portions of the terminal.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show in detail the construction of the insulated, plastic molded housing 16 which is used in accordancewith this invention to shield the junction of wires 18 and 20 with the terminals 22 and 24 respectively. Essentially, the housing has a plurality of pockets 40, 42, and 44 molded therein for receivingthe switch terminals. Referring more particularly to pocket 40 it can be seen that it includes sidewalls 50 and 51 which define an L-shaped space. The wall 51 defines the foot of the L-shaped space and terminates in a third wall 54 which is spaced from and extends parallel to the second wall 50, which defines the leg of the L-shaped space. In a similar manner the pocket 42 has walls 60 and (SI which define an L-shaped space with the wall 61, which defines the foot of the L-shaped space, terminating in a third wall 63 which is spaced from and extends parallel to the second wall 60 of the pocket which defines the leg of the L-shaped space.

As viewed in FIG. 5, in an operating installation the terminals 22 and 24 are each positioned in the respective pockets 40 and 42 of the housing 16. In this position each of the leg portions 22b and 24b extend along the respective walls 50 and 60 of the pockets 40 and 42 and are supported by the same. In like manner each of the foot portions 220 and 24a of the terminals 22 and,24 extend along the walls 51 and 61 of the pockets and are also supported by them. Since the foot portions 22a and 24a of the terminals are longer than the space defined by the walls 50 and 60 of the pockets, which form'the legs of the L-shaped space therein, and the walls 54 and 63 which are parallel thereto, the terminals must be forced into these pockets, and the serrated edges 30 and 32 of the terminals embed themselves in the plastic walls 54 and63 of the pockets to provide the means for positively locking the housing 16 to the switch casing 14. Because the walls 50, 51 and 60, 61 support each of the terminals they lend rigidity thereto such that they do not bend when the serrated edges are being forced into the walls of the pockets. Because the foot portion 24a of terminal 24 is substantially longer than foot portion 22a of terminal 22, supports 70, 71 and 72 are also molded into the housing and act to further lend rigidity to the terminal 24 to prevent it from being deformed when it is inserted into the housing.

After the housing is physically attached to the switch casing.

as heretofore described, wires 18 and 20 are inserted into the housing. Each of the leg portions 22b and 24b of the terminals extends to a point where it forms an interference fit with one of the wires 18 and 20 when they are inserted in the apertures 75 and 76 in the housing The force of the wires contacting the leg portions 22b and 24b will cause the portions to be bent and the wire will push by the end thereof. A slight rearward tug on the wire will embed each of the shaped portions 34 and 36 in the end of the legs 22b and 24b into their associated wires and force the same against the walls 80 and 81 of the housing to physically secure the wires within the housing and to effect electrical contact between each of wires and a respective terminal. In a completed installation, therefore, the open top of the housing 16 is covered by the switch and the sidewalls and bottom completely cover the junction of the wires and the terminals to insulate the switch.

Although no wire is shown extending into the pocket 44 of the housing it should be clear that should a third terminal be desired to provide double pole, double throw operation it would be fitted into the pocket in a manner similar to that terminal which is fitted into the pocket 40 of the housing 16.

What has been described, therefore, is an insulating device for the junction of the wires and terminals of an electrical switch which permits one to convert an ordinary electric switch which is generally used with its terminals exposed in an operating installation to a switch wherein these terminals are insulated, and which further permits the person using this switch to connect wires to the terminals in the field without applying the insulating housing.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for attaching a wire to a terminal of an electrical switch including in combination, locking means integral with the terminal, a housing of nonconductive material, terminalreceiving means in said housing, said locking means of the terminal engaging said terminal-receiving means with said housing being mounted to the electrical switch in an operating installation thereby locking said housing to the electrical switch, said housing having means for receiving a wire therein, and further means integral with the terminal which said further means coacts with said housing to physically secure the wire therein in electrical contact with the terminal whereby said housing acts to electrically insulate the terminal and the wire connected thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim I wherein the electrical switch has first and second tenninals, said locking means of each terminal being a serrated locking portion and said further means being a wire engaging portion, and said housing has first and second terminal receiving pockets defined by sidewalls, said serrated locking portions of the terminals each engaging a sidewall in a respective pocket with said housing assembled to the switch in an operating installation, and said wire-engaging portion of each terminal presses a wire with the same being inserted in said housing against another sidewall of each respective pocket to electrically connect the wires to the terminals and to mechanically hold the wires within said housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the terminals of the electric switch are substantially L-shaped and said serrated locking portion is on the end of the foot of said L, and said wire-engaging portion is at the end of the leg of said L, and wherein the wall of each said pocket which is engaged by the serrated locking portion of each terminal is substantially normal to the wall of each said pocket against which the wire is pressed by said wire-engaging portions.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said housing is a plastic material and said pockets are integrally molded therein.

5. Apparatus for attaching a wire to first and second terminals of an electrical switch, including in combination, each terminal having a leg portion and a foot portion transverse thereto to form an L-shaped configuration, a serrated edge at the end of each said foot portion, and a shaped edge at the end of each said leg portion, a plastic housing having integrally molded pockets therein, said housing having first and second apertures therein for receiving wires therethrough, and each said pocket having an opening in at least one sidewall thereof basically in alignment with one of the apertures in the housing for receiving a wire therein, each said pocket having first and second walls that define an L-shaped space, with the first wall defining the foot of the L-shaped space terminating in a third wall which is spaced from and extends parallel to the second wall defining the leg of the L-shaped space, said terminals each positioned in a respective pocket of said housing in an operating installation, said terminal in each said pocket having its leg portion extending along said second wall thereof and being supported by the same, and said foot portion extending along said first wall thereof and being supported by the same,

and said foot portion of said terminal being dimensioned greater than the space defined by the second wall forming the leg of the L-shaped space in each pocket and said third wall parallel thereto, whereby said serrated edge of each foot portion of the terminals extends to and is embedded in said third wall of each said pocket to secure said housing to the electrical switch, and each said leg portion of the terminals extends to and said shaped edge engages a respective wire to press the same against a fourth wall in said pocket to physically retain said engaged wire in the housing and to electrically connect the same to the terminal, and said plastic housing acts to insulate the connection of the wires to the terminals.

Q I! i =0 i 

1. Apparatus for attaching a wire to a terminal of an electrical switch including in combination, locking means integral with the terminal, a housing of nonconductive material, terminal-receiving means in said housing, said locking means of the terminal engaging said terminal-receiving means with said housing being mounted to the electrical switch in an operating installation thereby locking said housing to the electrical switch, said housing having means for receiving a wire therein, and further means integral with the terminal which said further means coacts with said housing to physically secure the wire therein in electrical contact with the terminal whereby said housing acts to electrically insulate the terminal and the wire connected thereto.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical switch has first and second terminals, said locking means of each terminal being a serrated locking portion and said further means being a wire engaging portion, and said housing has first and second terminal receiving pockets defined by sidewalls, said serrated locking portions of the terminals each engaging a sidewall in a respective pocket with said housing assembled to the switch in an operating installation, and said wire-engaging portion of each terminal presses a wire with the same being inserted in said housing against another sidewall of each respective pocket to electrically connect the wires to the terminals and to mechanically hold the wires within said housing.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the terminals of the electric switch are substantially L-Shaped and said serrated locking portion is on the end of the foot of said L, and said wire-engaging portion is at the end of the leg of said L, and wherein the wall of each said pocket which is engaged by the serrated locking portion of each terminal is substantially normal to the wall of each said pocket against which the wire is pressed by said wire-engaging portions.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said housing is a plastic material and said pockets are integrally molded therein.
 5. Apparatus for attaching a wire to first and second terminals of an electrical switch, including in combination, each terminal having a leg portion and a foot portion transverse thereto to form an L-shaped configuration, a serrated edge at the end of each said foot portion, and a shaped edge at the end of each said leg portion, a plastic housing having integrally molded pockets therein, said housing having first and second apertures therein for receiving wires therethrough, and each said pocket having an opening in at least one sidewall thereof basically in alignment with one of the apertures in the housing for receiving a wire therein, each said pocket having first and second walls that define an L-shaped space, with the first wall defining the foot of the L-shaped space terminating in a third wall which is spaced from and extends parallel to the second wall defining the leg of the L-shaped space, said terminals each positioned in a respective pocket of said housing in an operating installation, said terminal in each said pocket having its leg portion extending along said second wall thereof and being supported by the same, and said foot portion extending along said first wall thereof and being supported by the same, and said foot portion of said terminal being dimensioned greater than the space defined by the second wall forming the leg of the L-shaped space in each pocket and said third wall parallel thereto, whereby said serrated edge of each foot portion of the terminals extends to and is embedded in said third wall of each said pocket to secure said housing to the electrical switch, and each said leg portion of the terminals extends to and said shaped edge engages a respective wire to press the same against a fourth wall in said pocket to physically retain said engaged wire in the housing and to electrically connect the same to the terminal, and said plastic housing acts to insulate the connection of the wires to the terminals. 